Fragile in Design
by NittyGritty
Summary: Hearts will always break, they're fragile in design. Sasuke finally discovers that the hard way when he messes up, one too many times.
1. Part I

**Warnings: **alcohol abuse, drug abuse, SasuNaru or NaruSasu

**Rating: **M (due to content of the story)

**Summary:** Hearts will always break, they're fragile in design. Sasuke finally discovers that the hard way when he messes up, one too many times.

* * *

**Fragile in Design**

Another broken promise found passed out on a queen-sized bed. Naruto sat down by the head, his hands in his lap as he patiently waited, for what seemed like the hundredth time, for the paramedics to bust into the small penthouse apartment and cart him away.

Not for him, never for him. His eyes travelled to the man lying peacefully on the bed. Eyes blocking out the world, hand thrown across his forehead as though he had a severe headache. Black hair, usually sticking up at odd angles flattened against the pillow. He was breathing, as usual, but his pulse was irregular. His breathing was shallow and Naruto was tired.

He tried to stop the slight shake, scolding himself for it. This was normal, and he should stop being so upset every time he walked into his boyfriend's apartment to find him nearly dead.

He stood up angrily, and moved away from the bed. His heart clenched, demanding he take hold of those pale hands and whisper words of love, compassion, care and protectiveness. After the third time though he stopped, and he felt guilty.

He sighed again, waiting for the door to open, knowing that they would open the door even without him answering the warning knock. It was routine now.

Every four to six months Sasuke would end up passed out on the bed, barely alive. It had become tradition for Naruto or Itachi to just wander into his apartment without consent, (and secretly the neighbour whom Itachi paid to do) to ensure he was alive and well.

But like clock work, every four to six months Naruto would get a phone call (or be the one to call) about a patient who had overdosed, again. Then Sasuke would fight the hospital to release him, since he was over the age of eighteen they could not legally hold him longer than two days.

Within two days he was back out, and then later that year he would pay the hospital another visit via emergency ambulance ride, with a frantic Naruto leaving work or school to go to his bedside.

He was tired.

How long could he watch Sasuke kill himself? He glanced to the brunette, his heart aching and his eyes burning. How long until he actually killed himself? One day someone wasn't going to be around to watch him, and then he will be gone.

Even though he says he's not trying to kill himself, each and every time it's an accident, or a mix up or too many drinks with too many drugs. It was always an excuse, always something. But what if he can't be saved next time?

Naruto took a shuddering breath and glanced at the man he loved. The man, who before everything, was sweet caring kind and a normal bastard. The man he wanted to marry.

This person lying here barely breathing was not Sasuke Uchiha. This was an alien parasite parading around in his lover's body.

He stood up as the door opened and heard the paramedics make their way into the bedroom slowly, cautiously. Naruto smiled sadly at them, and pointed mutely to Sasuke.

One of them came over to talk to him. Routine questions for a routine lifestyle.

"What happened? What did he take? Where you here? Does he do this often? Is there anyone we should call?"

All robotic answers, all the same every time.

"He overdosed. Too many to list, I'm not even sure anymore. I came over and he was like this. Sometimes. His brother, Itachi."

Itachi was always to be called. He was family, the only one Sasuke had left, and the only person Sasuke seemed to see-not listen to, but see. Naruto was nothing compared to Itachi.

Sometimes Naruto was sure he was nothing to Sasuke. Why else would he break that promise? How many times he broke it, Naruto wasn't sure. One too many.

Naruto stood up and followed the paramedics out the door, down the elevator to the awaiting ambulance. They stood there waiting for Naruto to get in, but he shook his head. He wanted to think, needed to think. He watched them nod and start the truck.

His heart thudded loudly in his chest. He felt sick; he hated himself.

* * *

The familiar beeping sound dragged him out of his unconscious bliss and made him realize that he had fucked up, again.

He kept his eyes closed, knowing his brother was sitting in the red chair staring disappointedly at him. He was always there.

"I know you're awake." That cool voiced called to him, and Sasuke opened his eyes. He felt tired, his body was sore and his head was pounding. He hated being in the hospital, and he never understood why he would always screw up somehow.

But this time he had been careful. He did not mix his drugs, or drink anything with them.

"You took too much." Itachi explained, his eyes dark and pissed. "Again," he added with a sigh.

Sasuke mutely nodded. He hated this. He hated being in the hospital with his brother sitting by his bedside with disproval; Naruto usually was in the hallway with a cup of coffee, his phone in his lap as he stared dead at it.

Why did he always go back to drugs? Why did he always fuck up?

"I will be taking you home in a few hours." Itachi muttered, his eyes were closed off and tired.

That was odd, why was Itachi taking him home? Itachi has never taken him home from the hospital before; it was always Naruto.

Sasuke scanned the hospital room and did not see a single trace of his boyfriend. Where was Naruto?

Itachi stared at him, his eyes hard and cold. Colder than Sasuke has ever seen, and he shrunk back into his bed, willing it to open up and swallow him.

"He's gone." Itachi stated, his eyes resting on his younger sibling.

That can't be right.

"Who is gone?"

Itachi just stared at him, sighed and closed his eyes. "These drugs are really screwing up your mind."

"He wouldn't-" Sasuke croaked, his eyes tired his head pounding. His mouth was too dry for a conversation.

"Did you expect him to stay with you?"

Sasuke frowned. Of course he did, Naruto was the one solid foundation that was never going to leave him. His one constant, the one he could depend on. The blond was everything he wasn't-positive, full of smiles, and bright.

"Sasuke, he has been with you for six years," he murmured out, "six years and look how you treat him?"

Sasuke shook his head, dispelling the words. It wasn't true, Naruto wouldn't….he just wouldn't.

"You're lying."

"I spoke to him twenty minutes ago Sasuke." Itachi hotly told, "he's done."

"Stop." Sasuke murmured, "this isn't funny."

"Good." Itachi scolded, "maybe you will learn something for once."

He felt his blood boil, how dare Itachi. How dare Naruto! What happened to sticking with someone through thick and thin? Through good times and bad times? For better or for worse?

Naruto was his everything.

He was not going to lose that. He would not allow it.

"Give me your phone."

"No."

Sasuke's eyes widened.

"I need to speak to him."

Itachi glared at him. "For what? To tell him you're sorry? That it will never happen again? Please to forgive you? You said this all before, and you expect to say it again to him?"

Sasuke deflated, his heart lurched.

"He wouldn't…why would he leave me?"

Itachi's eyes softened, the man on the bed reminded him so much of a young innocent child.

"What reason did he have to stay?"

"I love him."

Itachi nodded, that was probably the most honest thing that Sasuke had ever said to Naruto. He never doubted Sasuke's feelings.

"He loves you."

Sasuke stared, curious and confused into Itachi's eyes. His hand were clenched at his sides, his face was paler than normal.

"Then why…?"

"Think about it from his perspective Sasuke."

Sasuke mulled that over.

If Naruto had been to the hospital for drug over dose…he furrowed his brow. He didn't even know how many times he had been here for overdosing. Anyway he had probably been here three times, so going off that.

If Naruto had over-dosed three times and ended up in the hospital, Sasuke would be pissed. Why would Naruto do that to himself, he had so much to live for, so much happiness in him that it was hard to image his boyfriend on this bed.

But that's different. Naruto was different. He was happy.

If Naruto were in this bed instead, Sasuke would still be there for him. He felt bitter bile rise up in his throat at the fact that Naruto had abandoned him.

"There's no excuse Itachi," Sasuke said determination in his voice, "I would have been there-"

"Really?" Itachi mocked, "you would have continued to support him after overdosing seven times in the past three years? You would stayed with him after you had lost a job from calling in too many times sick as he stayed with you while you vomited your life down the drain?"

Sasuke paled, he hadn't done that. That wasn't his fault.

"Would you stick with the one person you love who was purposefully killing themselves in turn killing you? Do you even know what this does to him? To me?"

Sasuke felt sick. This was not his fault. How dare Itachi turn it on him!

"I don't need this." He muttered out darkly, "I don't need to deal with your shit." He growled out, "what it does to him? To you? Don't make me laugh. You don't care what happens to me! He certainly doesn't care! He's not even here! So don't you dare preach to me about how much he seems to care when **he isn't even fucking here!**."

Itachi stood up, humour wiped from his face and promises of death issued from his eyes.

"You make me sick."

Good, because he was feeling just as sick.

* * *

It was two days later that Sasuke sat in his apartment, feet kicked out on his coffee table with a bottle of scotch placed just at his heel.

Water was dripping down his hand from the cold glass but he couldn't care. He felt empty.

He took a large swing of the drink, sloppily leaned forward to snatch the bottle from the table. Just as he was pouring another drink he heard the soft click of his door lock and quiet footsteps as someone entered his apartment. He didn't care. They could steal whatever they found, or even kill him, what was there left in his life.

He smiled bitterly and stared down into the amber liquid before smirking and taking a sip. Fuck life.

"Sasuke?"

He turned his head to the voice and a malicious smile spread across his lips. He went to place the glass on the table, nearly missing.

"Well if it isn't Naruto," he chuckled staring at the impassive blond man whose gaze was fixated on the scotch bottle. Like he cared.

"What are you doing?" he curiously asked, his eyes dancing around the room. He was holding a small brown box and Sasuke knew what was in there. His things.

"You really are dead last. What does it look like?" he shot an angry glare, his eyes firmly on the box that held everything he ever left over at Naruto's house. Everything the blond wanted or forgot, things they shared. Like the life they were supposed to share.

Naruto sighed, and moved into the living room more; his bright blond hair descending into the darkness that surrounded Sasuke.

"I just wanted to give these back to you." He held the box out for Sasuke who scolded in distain to it.

"I don't want that shit."

Naruto seemed to tense, he slowly placed the box down on the ground beside the arm of the couch.

"Keep it." He told firmly and turned around walking back to the door. Sasuke growled, stood up and picked up the box. He took out a book and quickly threw it towards the retreating back.

Naruto froze as the book hit in him the middle of his back. Thankfully it was a soft cover novel and that Sasuke's drunkenness threw off his aim.

"I don't want it!" he hollered. Naruto didn't even turn around and walked towards the door he had entered from. Sasuke felt panic rise into his chest, Naruto can't leave. He reached into the box again pulling out a shirt, he angrily tossed it aside and found a crystal oriamnet of a fox he had given Naruto.

Naruto loved that ornament, and Sasuke felt poetic justice as he threw it at his ex-boyfriend.

Naruto froze, his heart hammering as he heard the glass shatter to the wall he was standing right next to. Sasuke was obviously not aiming at him, but it still made him freeze. He turned around and stared at the man whom he loved, and his heart lurched. This is what he had become.

He felt pity and anger all swell up in him. Not only at Sasuke but at himself-for allowing this, for sticking with someone this gone.

"What is your problem?" Naruto darkly asked, finally having looked down at the glass and recognizing it as one of the most precious things he held dear to him-right under his necklace that he got from his godmother.

It was the fox crystal that Sasuke had given Naruto as a house-warming gift, four years ago. It was the only thing he had reconsidered giving back to Sasuke, but every time he looked a it his eyes stung and he had to physically pry himself away from the room as to not stare at it.

Sasuke knew how much that fox meant to him, and it lay shattered at his sneakers. Just like their relationship.

"You! You're my problem!"

Naruto closed his eyes. He needed to calm down; his heartbeats were too irregular.

"You just waltz into my life and leave when things get tough!?" He bitterly laughed and smiled, almost tripping as he took a step forward and knocking into the box. "Who the hell do you think you are?"

Naruto shook his head. He moved to turn around, to walk to the door to leave this behind. To try and start new, to try and mend. He stopped though, when he saw the hurt and anger flashing through Sasuke's eyes. Raw emotion was a rarity for him.

"You can't just leave me."

It was a demand, and Naruto decided he had overstayed his welcome. He turned around and moved towards the door in calm and calculated steps. He needed to leave; had to leave.

He reached for the door handle when he felt Sasuke shove him into the door. The gold knob digging into his stomach and pain blossomed in his head as it was slammed against the wood.

"Who the fuck said you could leave?!"

It felt like he yelled it, even if it was spoken harshly into his hear, the smell of alcohol strong.

Naruto shoved his foot out, kicking Sasuke in the shin, making the man stumble back and releasing Naruto.

He glared at the man who tumbled back, hitting the floor harshly from losing his balance.

"How dare you." He shook out, anger radiating through every pore. "You do not own me Sasuke. You never owned me, and never will. I am leaving you because look at yourself! This is not the Uchiha I started dating. Every time you said you would get clean, I believed you, but meanwhile you were sucking face downtown with some random bimbo!"

Yes, Naruto knew. A co-worker had seen Sasuke dancing with some nameless woman and later on saw them again huddled in a corner making out. Naruto at first thought it was absurd, someone who looked like Sasuke was there-but after convincing he went down to the club and saw it for himself.

He also realized that Sasuke was also high as hell and probably was not aware of what he was doing. Naruto took small comfort in that and the fact that he never seem to do anything below the waist-always just kissing. It still hurt to know.

"Yet, I stayed. I stayed when I lost my job from having to stay home with you so often. I fucking stayed when I walked in on you shooting up, and even stayed after you offered me some!" He shouted, his mind flashing back to the needle that he was offered.

"I stayed after you were carted away on a stretcher, I stayed as they told me you had almost died. I fucking stayed! I stayed through all of it, the fist fights, the overdoses, the cheating. I can't anymore. I'm tired Sasuke."

Sasuke stared at him for a few minutes. Listening, actually listening to the words. Words of denial on his lips, but his foggy memory was pushing forth the truth.

"I love you." He murmured out, as though that solved their problems and Naruto's eyes softened. He moved closer to his ex-boyfriend, and placed a comforting hand on Sasuke's shoulders.

"I love you more than you love you," Naruto told, and placed a sweet chaste kiss on his lips. It was over before he knew it and he felt his heart break, it was a goodbye kiss. This was really happening. "You need to love yourself again Sasuke."

"I can't without you."

Naruto digested that and took his hand off Sasuke's shoulder. It felt unbearably cold suddenly.

"You couldn't with me either."

And like that he was gone. Out of the apartment out of his life, just gone.

Sasuke kneeled on the floor, his legs shaking and his eyes burning but not leaking. He couldn't seem to cry and his heart was screaming at him for letting Naruto leave. He put his hands to his head and shook it, as though dispelling a bad nightmare.

Nothing changed.

His eyes lingered near the closed door and saw the destroyed fox. He stood up, shakily and moved to the broken pieces.

He kneeled down and tried to figure out how to rearrange the broken pieces. He wanted to fix this. His hands were shaking as he noticed that he could not repair this, but Naruto loved that fox. He felt sick with himself for destroying the fox.

He glanced at the scotch and stood up. He stumbled slightly once he reached the table and picked it up, forsaking his glass and taking it to his lips. He took a long chug, and right after picked up the half-full bottle and hurled it across the room.

He listened to the glass break and the liquid seep out onto the walls and to the floor. He sank into the couch and stared at the stain on the wall.

'What have I done?'

* * *

This is a two-shot, and I'm working on the second part.

This short story is inspired by a band (My Darkest Days), and that's where the story title comes from.


	2. Part II

**Warnings: **alcohol abuse, drug abuse, SasuNaru or NaruSasu

**Rating: **M (due to content of the story)

**Summary:** Hearts will always break, they're fragile in design. Sasuke finally discovers that the hard way when he messes up, one too many times**.**

* * *

**Fragile in Design  
Part II**

After six months, Sasuke stopped counting the days. Instead it turned into weeks, and finally he was proudly able to say that he had been a year sober.

The first two weeks were brutal. Detoxing from both alcohol and drugs took a toll on him, and he was quite content with the fact that he had actually stayed in the rehab facility. The facilities were designed so that if you wanted to leave, you could. No door held a lock and that was because you had to be willing to get the help for the treatment to work.

The first time Sasuke had stepped into a facility to detox, he had left within two days. This time he stayed and suffered through the group therapies, family meeting (with Itachi) and even the media crawling all over the buildings-hoping to catch a glimpse of the youngest Uchiha.

But he was thankful that he did it. It had taken almost two months after Naruto left for him to drag himself through those doors and make himself stay.

There was no real light-bulb moment when he figured out that drugs and alcohol where not the best choices in his life, it was more of a tired realization. He was tired of being high, and drunk, and he felt immensely weak to them. His body ached and craved for a hit and he decided that he was no longer going to live like that. So he went for help.

Single greatest thing he had ever done. He was now present in his own life, and his career was no longer splashed across the headlines in a negative manner. People seemed to respect him more, for the fact that he sought help-and although he hated people knowing about his every detail in life, he was quite happy for the respect.

Sasuke Uchiha was finally sober but he was not happy with his life. He missed his boyfriend and shuddered every time he thought about the things Naruto endured while with him. He was tempted-so tempted-to hunt the boy down but decided he had done enough damage to him.

It was only fair that Naruto be allowed to live a life free of Sasuke. He was going to give him that, because Naruto meant everything to him. He sighed and glanced around the busy street. His sunglasses were firmly in place and his hood hid his noticeable hair. He always hoped to just catch a glimpse of his ex-lover, yet he never did. It did not stop him from hoping though.

A sigh escaped his lips as he stepped up to the curb and entered the awaiting car. The driver gave a small head tilt as he entered and Sasuke didn't acknowledge the man at all.

The door was closed and the driver pulled out into traffic, taking Sasuke back to his penthouse. Sasuke closed his eyes leaning back into the soft leather of the interior of his car when he felt his phone vibrate within his pant pocket.

He squirmed and took the phone out, frowning as he saw the caller I.D said private. He had half a mind to ignore the call-not a lot of people had the privilege of having his number. He sighed under his breath, and decided it was best to take the call.

He swiped his finger across the screen and answered the private callers call.

* * *

Life had become routine for Naruto. Mondays were school and work, Tuesdays were solely school-the same for Wednesdays. Thursdays was pure work and volunteering down at the community center across town for an afterschool program, and Fridays was school and work. He also worked weekends but mostly he got that time off because weekends weren't busy at the small little diner located in the heart of the business district.

He sighed racking a hand through his hair, watching his colleague drop off the set of keys to the room that they use within the community center for their program.

It was a program designed to teach high school kids that there are alternatives to drugs, alcohol and prostitution. The students that show up were forced and hardly ever spoke, especially to outsiders.

Naruto and his colleague, Ino were not from this area. Granted, Naruto grew up in this slum area, and Ino didn't, but times were different from when Naruto was a teenager. Although he lived in this area, there was no local high school so he travelled into the town for school. However, they recently built a high school and although it was to bring education to a forgotten neighbourhood, it also helped increase the crime rate. So a lot of teenagers were openly exposing drugs to each other, alcohol and a lot of the girls were soliciting sex for money.

All in all, when they were caught they were sent to Ino and Naruto (and a few others who worked other days besides Thursdays).

"So what are your plans for the weekend?" Ino quietly asked, brushing her platinum blond hair out of her pastel blue eyes.

Naruto shrugged, "Not quite sure, spending a nice evening at home with my love." He grinned, and she snorted at that.

"You need to get out and leave your obsession with ramen." Ino muttered and smiled, "do you want to come with me and some of my girlfriends?"

"And do what?" Naruto questioned, turning another corner without thought. "Plus don't insult ramen. Ramen has been there for me when nobody wasn't, and it will continue to be there-"

"We're hitting a club downtown today," Ino pushed on, smiling. "Just the girls, we're leaving behind the added weight." Also known as their boyfriends (or girlfriends in some cases).

"Don't talk to strangers." Naruto chided nearing a bakery that was a few blocks from the train station where they volunteered. He ducked an incoming fist from Ino, who was never playful when it came to harming him.

"Dick." She muttered out tiredly yet there was a small smile on her lips.

They reached the corner where they normally would split up. Ino although did not live in the neighbourhood lived fairly close and she said she enjoyed the thirty-minute walk home every evening because it gave her some exercise. Naruto didn't comment and instead gave his usual grin and hug with a farewell of seeing each other next week.

Ino smiled at him at the corner, "this week I'm actually tagging along to you. Isn't that exciting?" She walked past Naruto who was a little thrown off from his routine but nonetheless moved to fall into step with her.

"I'm meeting my friend Sakura, she lives in your area." She muttered and Naruto nodded, remembering Ino having told her about her pink-haired friend whom she was childhood friends and rivals with. Their relationship always reminded him of Sasuke.

He sighed and closed his eyes. He would not think of Sasuke, he needed to get a handle on his mind, because everyday Sasuke would creep into his mind and he would freeze. He would regret and hate himself for leaving him but then be angry at Sasuke for forcing the decision on him.

It was such a whirlwind of emotions that it left him physically exhausted.

He shook his head, dispelling Sasuke's mental image and focused back on Ino and the story of how when Sakura was 12 she had cut her hair short with a kitchen butcher's knife to impress a guy in their class.

Naruto got momentarily distracted as he passed an open bakery door and he could smell fresh bread and possibly cinnamon buns. He inhaled it and soaked in the smell just as a body collided with his.

He tumbled to the ground, the back of his head colliding harshly with the sidewalk. He groaned, feeling a bit disoriented from the fall and as he turned his head to glance at who had rammed (because it definitely felt like he was rammed) he felt hot blinding pain in his abdomen.

There was a deafening ringing in his ears, muffled underwater shouts and screams-the loudest being close to him, and then several other bursts of ringing shot through his ears. The pain was intense, and he felt as though everything took substantial amount of effort. Like breathing.

It hurt to breathe. He reached his hands down to the area that the pain seemed to becoming from and pressed on it, he knew he was bleeding, his hands were now firmly pressed against his stomach. Blood soaking his hands like icing on a cake.

He felt someone mumbling his name, above him. He cracked his eyes open and saw Ino kneeling just beside him. She was white as a ghost and her mouth was moving but he really couldn't make out her words. His ears were still ringing.

At seeing his eyes, there was a soft smile on her face and tears were dropping from her eyes. She kept talking and he couldn't make it out and his eyes felt like they being forced shut by an invisible force.

He wanted to open his mouth, to say something but it was no use. He felt his old hold on his stomach weaken, and just as his eyes drifted closed he felt a weight fall atop of him.

* * *

His heart was pounding and his stomach was a stormy sea. Sasuke stood up, elevating the pressure on his tailbone from these hospital chairs and started his usual walk around the emergency room waiting room. It was a mixture of different distress happening all around him and he could not understand how none of the noise was affecting him like it normally did.

A baby was crying (actually a few where) and there was a small child in the game corner playing on one of the televisions there. An elderly man held his arm protectively and a woman was shaking her leg intensely just next to him. All either waiting for treatment or waiting for information.

He slowly dragged his feet around the building, cooing his heart to calm down and his stomach to stop trying to drown him with tidal waves. He felt sick on a new level that he had never experienced before.

The phone call from the hospital was replaying in his mind over and over. _Uzumaki Naruto has you listed as his next of kin; we think it's best if you come down to Fire General._

He raced down there as soon as she had said Naruto's name. He didn't know what had happened; all he knew is that when he got there it was too late to say anything to his ex-boyfriend because they couldn't wait. Him along with the two other patients that were brought in with him was all carted off into surgery.

He felt sick at the thought that he was listed as the next of kin still. Naruto had shyly asked him after his godfather's death if Sasuke wouldn't mind being listed. This was just after they had started dating but they had been friends for as long as they could remember.

Everything was his fault.

If only he didn't get into drugs, Naruto would still be by his side and away from whatever had happened. And god did he want to know! The lady at the intake desk would not answer any of his questions so openly and asked him to take a seat.

He didn't even care that some people were whispering about how Sasuke Uchiha was sitting-well standing now, in their hospital like a normal human being. Almost as though celebrities were above them. He was thankful nobody had asked him for an autograph because he probably would have punched him or her. There is a time and place for everything and he just wanted to punch someone.

It had been two hours and according to the nurse he was wheeled away to surgery half an hour before he got there. How long does surgery usually last?

He ran a hand through his hair, trying to get rid of the haunting image of Naruto smiling at him with blood decorating his hair, and dripping down his chin.

He felt uneasy and he could not stop the groans and sighs from escaping his mouth every time he was drawn back to why he was fretting about in a hospital.

If this was what Sasuke had done to Naruto all those times, he wished for something bad to actually happen to him. Not to Naruto-never to Naruto. For making him suffer, he deserved he pain his ex-boyfriend was going through. He deserved it and more.

"Sasuke Uchiha?" A voice timidly called out, and Sasuke swiftly marched up to the girl. There had better be good news or he was burning the hospital down. If they couldn't do their jobs they didn't deserve the facility.

"Come with me," she motioned and he just followed behind her like a lost puppy-because he sure felt like one.

She took him passed closed curtains of several beds that lined the walkway in the emergency room, opened a door and was now in an area of the hospital in which there were actual doors and not curtains separating patients. She made a few turns and twists down the hallways-surely purposefully making the Uchiha lose count of where he was- and one elevator ride later he was standing at a door with a doctor flipping through a patient chart.

"Ah yes Sasuke Uchiha," he mumbled out and glanced at Sasuke as though he was highly amused with having the young actor with him.

"I'm Hatake Kakashi, I was the general surgeon who took care of Mr. Uzumaki," he said placing his hand out and Sasuke hesitantly shook it.

"I would like to quickly go through his condition and explain a few things to you if that's okay?"

Sasuke frowned, deciding to ask a question of his own. "What happened?"

Kakashi seemed to frown at that and sighed tiredly. "Nobody told you?" He muttered out as though not really expecting an answer.

"Naruto was shot twice; once in the abdomen and once again in the arm. He was brought in barely breathing, with a low pulse and two other people who were also shot by the same person. I can't talk about what happened except from a medical perspective," he told noticing Sasuke beginning to open his mouth, "the police will be in shortly. They are talking to another victim right now. Everyone is safe now."

Sasuke mutely nodded, the thought of anyone wanting to harm his Naruto was ridiculous. Naruto had no enemies.

"We removed both bullets, we had to resuscitate him once while on the table. He is slightly stable now, but we will be monitoring him overnight. If he wakes up please call a nurse, he does have a morphine drip set up for him and if he needs it it'll be the portal blue push button. I'll show it to you inside the room," he commented and shifted the clipboard, "he cannot eat or drink anything quite yet, so even if he asks please don't indulge him with sneaking him food."

Sasuke nodded listening and digesting everything. His heart was thumping loudly in his chest and he felt hope flair up in him.

"So he's going to be okay?"

Kakashi smiled his gray eyes crinkling up in happiness, "it seems that way. However, we are going to monitor him tonight, but he should be fine."

Sasuke finally felt like he could breathe.

Kakashi placed a comforting arm on his shoulder, "he is a strong young man. He shouldn't be waking up any time soon but if he does, please call the nurse."

Sasuke nodded and followed the man into the open door of the ICU. There were three other male patients in the room, each separated by a curtain. Naruto was lying in the middle. He had an oxygen mask on his face, tubes and wires all coming out of his arm and attached to loud beeping machines on the side.

"His breathing and pulse are a bit irregular," Kakashi told out strictly and moved towards the machine, "but we know they will be back to normal within a few hours. It's still trying to stabilize and his body is doing a great job." He smiled happily and moved towards the head of the bed. He reached out and pulled on one cord, showing that it had a blue push button.

"This cord is for his morphine drip, but don't give it to him unless the nurse okay it." Kakashi told, "he has free reign to give himself more if he's in pain but we discourage patients from doing anything on their own." He put the cord back and pointed to another button, "this is to call a nurse."

Sasuke nodded, and Kakashi moved to stand beside him. "Visiting hours end at 6, and start again at 10 tomorrow."

Sasuke frowned at the fact he would be forced to leave Naruto and sighed nodding as Kakashi dropped the chart in the metal folder at the front of the bed and moved out of the room, leaving Sasuke, Naruto and the constant sound of his pulse as company.

* * *

The sight that greeted Itachi made his stomach churn and yet a small smile found its way to his face. Sitting on a questionable chair was his little brother, hand resting besides a slightly pale tanned hand as though afraid to touch it. His brother looked like a ten year old boy, vulnerable.

What made his stomach churn was the fact that Naruto was the one lying in the hospital bed. His bright hair drowning out the white in the room, and blue eyes closed off to the world. The constant beep the only thing telling us that he was alive.

There was an oxygen mask covering his nose and mouth and he looked so fragile.

Itachi stepped towards the duo and took a seat from the opposite wall and brought it to sit beside his brother. He brushed a hand through those dark locks and felt it was slightly greasy.

He pulled out his briefcase and took out a small book. He sat the briefcase down below his feet and started reading.

He had flipped the twentieth page when he noticed two men approaching Naruto slowly. Itachi shut his book and noticed Sasuke was stirring just beside him, but Itachi tried to let the boy sleep.

It was two police officers, both whom Itachi recognized-since he himself was a police officer in that division.

"Itachi what are you doing here?" the redhead asked, his hazelnut eyes glancing quickly around the room as though he had missed something.

"Checking on a friend," Itachi gestured towards the snoozing blond, "what are you and Deidara doing here?" he quirked an eyebrow.

"Checking on our victim," he motioned over towards Naruto and Itachi frowned at that. 'Victim?'

"What do you mean?" he murmured, drawing back Sasuke's hysterical voice mail about needing a ride, but he knew that Sasuke only called because he didn't want to be alone. Why else call for a ride for 6pm when it was only 3?

"Naruto Uzumaki was shot by a man who committed suicide an hour ago," Sasori murmured out and sighed, "we just need his statement but it looks like sleeping beauty is asleep."

Itachi scowled. Naruto was never to be harmed, he was such a ray a sunshine, who would harm him? He had so many questions and knew that although him and the other two were close they would never give out confidential information as to who-what-when-where-and the most important one why.

He heard them sigh and saw his brother shift ever so slightly, his eyes starting to open as he adjusted himself to the room.

"We'll wait for him to wake up. We got all night." Sasori told taking the last two seats in the room, although not dragging them closer to the bed. They just sat there staring at Naruto as though staring would wake him up.

"Itachi?" Sasuke quietly called, his eyes staying on his elder brother, confusion clear in his eyes.

"You asked for a ride."

"For six," he muttered back, stifling a yawn as he turned his eyes towards the sleeping man on the bed. "Has he woken up?"

"No." Itachi sighed, and glanced at the clock. "And we should head home, it's almost 6."

Sasuke frowned and almost like he was physically restraining himself from touching Naruto he stood up and finally noticed the two police officers.

"What are you guys doing here?" he murmured, recognizing them but not knowing their names.

"Hey it's the tyke!" Deidara chimed happily and stood up, "I didn't even notice you until you spoke to Itachi," he sheepishly told and sighed.

"Is this blondie yours?" He asked jabbing a finger towards Naruto and Sasuke felt his heart jump into his throat.

"Was." He whispered out and closed his eyes.

"We're leaving," Itachi told the two and glared, "he means a lot to us, don't mess with him." He threatened, knowing those two like to argue and cause more problems then there was. If he were to find out that they accidently unplugged Naruto's oxygen supply, Itachi would make their deaths be "accidents".

"Have some faith in us Itachi, we're still employed. If we were that bad we wouldn't be on the force." Sasori calmly told, obviously squeezing Dediara's shoulder who looked ready to tackle the oldest sibling.

"Hn."

And they were gone, just missing as blue eyes hazily awoke.

* * *

Sasuke was back at the hospital spot on at 10, he was literally waiting outside the ICU doors for them to unlock it and allow visitors in. Thankfully he wasn't the only impatient one in the lot seeing how there were a few other people standing annoyed with him.

As soon as the doors were unlocked everyone strolled in and dispersed into different rooms. Sasuke had memorized the room yesterday and walked crisply to the middle of the hallway and entered the room marked 680.

First thing he noticed was the all the curtains were drawn back, leaving no privacy and that the two police officers were gone. He sighed rubbed the bridge of his nose, and felt the weight of everything crashing on his shoulders. He could sleep right there.

He walked up to Naruto's bed and took a seat. He stared at Naruto and sighed when he noticed that the blond was still asleep, but his bed was propped up into sitting position yet his eyes were firmly closed.

He also took note that the oxygen mask was removed. Must mean that Naruto's breathing was back to being regular or that he was awake-considering amused blue eyes were now staring at him.

He also jumped back as a small chuckle resounded in the room.

"Holy shit, don't give me a heart attack." Sasuke complained but a smile was fighting its way onto his face as he stared at the blond who was completely awake-alive.

His breath hitched at the sight of playful blue eyes, a grin spreading like wildfire across his tan faced (how Sasuke loved to see colour back in his face).

Sasuke stood up, as though being Naruto would harm him and stepped away from the bed. So many things swam through his mind, all fighting to be voiced yet none where.

"What brings you here?" Naruto curiously asked in a scratchy voice, his hands settled in his lap, fidgeting. He was nervous.

"They called," Sasuke replied, "I.." he stammered and frowned, "What did you want me to do?" Ignore the call? Pretend he wasn't told that Naruto was admitted? Act as though he didn't care anymore?

Naruto seemed confused at that, "Why would they-" and like that he shut his mouth. The obvious memories of the death of his godfather weighing down and the realization that he had left Sasuke as his next of kin.

"Oh." He mumbled out and he looked at way, eyes sad. "You didn't have to-"

"I had to." Sasuke replied, taking a seat as blue eyes settled back on him. "I couldn't not be here," he ignored the double negative. It was vital that he is here, or he would be at home destroying it with worry; and Naruto would be alone. Nobody would have been here when he woken up because he no longer has anyone. Except Sasuke, Sasuke would always be there. Even without being asked.

Naruto seemed to study him before letting his eyes drift across the room. He knew that Sasuke was there yesterday and he felt loved, safe and his heart did an odd jump when he saw the retreating backs yesterday night. He thought he was dreaming because two seconds later he was being politely questioned by the police officers that were standing at the end of his bed.

His mind drifted back to the conversation. He had been shot. Twice. By a psycho who robbed a store, shot the clerk freaked and shot more people as he ran off. His eyes drifted to the clock, noticing the time and he sighed.

He would have to wait a bit longer before his doctor-whom he had not met yet- would return. Then he could ask the dying question that had been-

"You're thinking too much." Naruto drew his attention back to his ex-lover, boyfriend, and world. He frowned and sighed.

"I guess." He shrugged, opened his eyes and smiled. "I have a lot on my mind."

"Like about who shot you?"

Naruto's eyes widened and he shrugged his shoulders automatically using his left hand to reach behind his head and winced at the movement. His stomach roaring in pain. Sasuke was on his feet instantly as though he had done the damage, and Naruto had to restrain a chuckle, but stop when he noticed Sasuke had zeroed in on something.

Naruto felt the air become thick and the tension in the room double.

"What's wrong?" Naruto quickly questioned, his mind in over drive. He hadn't seen this side of Sasuke in a long time, and although he missed it, there was something wrong.

"You're married." It was a quiet whisper, almost as though if he spoke the words it would make it true.

Naruto frowned and glanced at the white band adorning his ring finger. A small smile flittered across his face, and he tenderly touched the band.

Sasuke saw that and his stomach stopped storming and everything was calm; too calm. He felt dead.

"No," Naruto replied cutting the tense silence that fell over them. "This is my ring, but I am not married."

"I am sorry." Sasuke replied, already made up that either Naruto was divorced or widowed. Things could happen in a year, and it didn't surprise him that he moved on. Hurt, but didn't surprise him.

Naruto was a great person he deserved happiness. Something Sasuke knew he couldn't give.

"For what?" Curious blue eyes gazed at him and then realization dawned on him. He slowly and clumsily slid the ring off his finger and smirked, slowly wincing as he stretched his arm out to Sasuke. "Take a look at it."

Sasuke stared at the ring for a few intense moments before reaching out and touching the warm band. He looked at its simplicity and found himself liking the ring even though it symbolized Naruto's happiness. What he didn't get was why he was looking at it.

He turned his eyes back to question Naruto when he noticed the soft even breathing from the bed. Didn't surprise him, with the amount of medications he was on. He didn't get the ring thing, but a small flutter sprung in his stomach at the fact that he was no longer married.

But he was married. The ring in his hand was proof.

Sasuke sat down and stared down at the ring. He hated it but loved how Naruto looked at it. It was a beautiful ring and he hated that it belonged to Naruto and he didn't give it to the man.

"Read the inscription inside."

Sasuke whirled around and saw his brother standing just to the side of his chair. He must have been caught up in staring at the damned thing to notice.

Sasuke turned back to the ring, and glanced inside, noticing that indeed it was inscribed. It was hard to make out what it said but when he did his breath hitched.

_Forever Sasuke's. _

"This is a mistake,…" he muttered yet the words stared at him. His hands felt heavy and the ring, he almost dropped it as he stared at it as though it had transformed.

"He bought two rings the day you left rehab," Itachi told, striding to the other side of Naruto's bed and brushing back the wet bangs from his face. He was calmly but it was to be expected from the amount of pain he was in. "He waited for you to call him, you never did."

Sasuke nodded. He didn't call because Naruto deserved better than him.

"But he wore it. He told me that he would wait for you." He smiled down at the blond, "he knew you needed a push to get clean. He left you so you could figure out your life on your own. He didn't want to," Itachi murmured, "I pushed him to it."

"You what?"

Itachi turned dark eyes to his brother. "He was dying with you Sasuke. He didn't care; he didn't want to leave you. But you were not going to see this until you lost him. You needed to lose him to get better. A realization and he reluctantly agreed."

Sasuke felt bitter and hatred towards his brother. He had lost Naruto because of him? This was all…

He frowned. No, he lost Naruto because of himself. He had been stupid enough to do drugs and risk his life instead of living it with Naruto.

"So me and him kept in contact. He loves you very much," Itachi once again brushed the bangs away from his head, and Sasuke had not known Itachi was in a committed relationship would have found the gesture too intimate. "He wanted to make sure you were okay without interfering. When he found out you finished rehab he bought the rings as to celebrate your strength."

Sasuke stared down at the ring a smile on his face.

"Idiot," he muttered and walked around to the other side of the bed. He pulled the chair there close to the bed and sat down on it. He kept the ring in his fingers, studying it with new eyes.

It really was a beautiful ring.

Itachi had taken his vacant seat and Sasuke slipped the ring onto the finger, back where it was previously fixed. This time Sasuke leaned down not afraid to touch Naruto and kissed his hand. Naruto didn't stir and Sasuke clasped his hand tightly with his. He wasn't letting go anymore.

"You said he bought two rings?"

**The End**

* * *

Yes, that's the end. Hope you liked my little-two shot! :)

Just some notes, feel free to read them and understand why I wrote some of the things I did.

1) Sasuke being an actor was not really planned. I had originally wanted him to be a celebrity-because I feel they get away with the law a lot more than non-celebrities; which explains why he is never in jail for drugs and whatnot. I'm pretty sure with the drugs they would have found in his system he would have been in some serious legal problems, but that's why I made him someone famous. In the second chapter, I felt the need to include that he was famous-and on a whim decided he should be an actor.

2) When Naruto got shot, Ino did too-the body falling atop of him was Ino. I actually wrote in a part with Shikamaru and Chouji showing up at the emergency room and Sasuke and them kind of waiting in silence. But...after reading it, it seemed very pointless so I took it out.

3) Naruto was supposed to originally be shot because of that community program he and Ino worked for. A drug dealer was pissed for that group taking away his/her clients, but that seemed to cliched and I felt Sasuke would feel more guilt than necessary about Naruto being in the hospital, which is why I changed it.

4) The fox in the first chapter was going to reappear in this chapter, as some kind of lingering affect of drugs but it felt too forced, and so I decided that Naruto needed a new precious thing-and that's the rings (plus I like hinting and things ^^)

5) Why Naruto was always planned to be shot was because it was kind of like a slap in the face for Sasuke. He felt what Naruto would feel seeing him on a hospital bed.


End file.
